Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL41401’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCAL41401’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; white-colored flowers with central greyed purple-colored star pattern and yellow-colored throats; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCAL41401’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USCAL41401’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branching Calibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 7, 2011 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ37-09, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ42, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 24, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 25, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and various cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCAL41401’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCAL41401’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. White-colored flowers with central greyed purple-colored star         pattern and yellow-colored throats.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have light purple pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCAL91001’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL91001’ had red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored star-shaped pattern and centers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL85101’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,438. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCAL85101’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL85101’ had white-colored flowers with large yellow-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL41401’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL41401’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 11.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and subsequently in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched two times and were six weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL41401’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ37-09, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 11CJ42, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant             habit; freely branching habit with about seven primary             lateral branches each with multiple secondary branches;             pinching enhances branching; dense and bushy appearance;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 27 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 17.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright then mounding.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Bluntly acute to rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; minute.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 146D. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color, upper             surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower surface: Close to 147D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             typically about twelve open flowers per lateral branch and             more than 250 developing per plant; flowers face upright to             outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             begin flowering about four weeks after planting; plants             flower continuously from spring though the summer until             autumn in Southern California.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about three to             four days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 2D.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm by 2.8 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 4 mm by 7 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a             flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About             1.2 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:             Obovate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal             texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Petal texture,             lower surface: Pubescent; scattered and minute. Throat             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent;             scattered and minute. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 155A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 2D. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to NN155C; towards the throat, star pattern             close to 183A; venation, close to 183A; color does not             change with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 155B; venation, close to 183C. Throat:             Close to 12B; venation, close to 197C. Tube: Close to 3D;             venation, close to 183C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single             whorl. Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm.             Sepal shape: Elliptic to lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute.             Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Sepal color, upper surface:             Close to 146A. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to 146A to             146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.             Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther             color: Close to 160C. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Style             length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma             shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color:             Close to 145A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL41401’ as illustrated and described. 